THE TREND OF HIGH CONCENTRATED DETERGENTS

Edited by Francesca Leone

Concentrated detergents are a viable solution to combat waste and reduce environmental impact, but they also have another advantage: concentration allows any fragrance contained in the detergent to remain stable. The market increasingly demands detergents that can clean thoroughly using minimal quantities of product: hence the success of concentrated detergents, which combine the washing action with a strong perfuming action, perhaps combined with the ability to cover certain types of bad smells. The market, despite a sometimes higher formula evaporate easily at room temperature and normal atmospheric pressure. These compounds are present in many substances, such as household clean- cost, allows the introduction of highvalue fragrances given the possibility of a different product positioning than the traditional in a finished article that definitely has a special appearance and functionality. Going in the direction of concentrated fragrance implies numerous benefits especially for manufacturers that can exploit and convey important messages in terms of eco-sustainability and green approach. By going to include a significantly lower percentage of fragrance in the finished detergent product, one can have an optimal yield thanks to concentrated fragrances, specially processed and made to contain no solvents in them with a mix of raw materials with a unique diffusivity depending on the different final professional detergents. Another significant advantage of using concentrated perfumes and detergents is related to formulation stability, since, as many players in the industry know, at the formulation level, perfume often creates significant issues, both in terms of solubility and organoleptic changes in the finished product over time and under certain conditions, such as high temperatures within storage warehouses: using a minimum amount is an undoubted advantage for formulation stability.

Bioaccumulation

This phenomenon can be particularly problematic for persistent chemicals, which are those that degrade very become part of our food cycle is a major risk. To prevent it, it is important to reduce the use of persistent chemicals. ing products, paints, solvents, personal care products, fuels, etc. VOCs are harmful to the environment because they are a major source of air pollution. When VOCs react with oxygen in the air, they can form tropospheric ozone, a cause of global warming. For this reason, their use is restricted. slowly in the environment, and can therefore accumulate in the bodies of living organisms over time. Some examples of persistent chemicals that can accumulate in the bodies of living organisms include some pesticides, heavy metals such as mercury, and some synthetic organic compounds. Bioaccumulation in organisms that

CMR substances

These are chemicals that exhibit carcinogenic (C), mutagenic (M) or reproductive toxic (R) properties. These compounds can cause DNA damage, interfere with the reproduction process, or cause tumor formation. It would be preferable to purchase products that do not contain these substances.

Packaging

Product containers are perhaps the most significant cause of pollution in the industry of detergents. Professional products for this sector almost always use HDPE containers, while PET is more widely used for commercial formulations in large-scale distribution. These materials can be recovered and sent back to the production cycle to become new packaging. Not exactly as can be done with glass, but certainly to a good approximation. Ecological standards (see the CAM and Ecolabel standard) already contemplate the use of these containers as an alternative to completely virgin plastic containers. However, at present, the availability of recycled plastic granules is not sufficient to meet market demands, which therefore maintains a good percentage of virgin plastic containers. To reduce the presence of packaging in the environment, one of the most effective mechanisms is to purchase super-concentrated products that allow for reduced transport and inflating of water that, instead, can be added by the user on site. In addition to this, the use of products with a high concentration of active ingredients would also allow for a drastic reduction in exhaust emissions from the trucks used for transportation. High concentration of the formulation means lower ecological impact, maintenance of performance, and economic savings. Three goals that must be achieved if we truly want the ecological impacts of this industrial sector to be reduced.

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